Spiritual pride

[backtocatholic]

Hi there.

When is spiritual pride a mortal sin.

Thanks

 

[Robert_Sock]

My guess is when the gift is loved more than giver.

 

[Faxero]

When we purposely fail to prevent the thoughts resulting from spiritual pride from influencing us in negative ways.

 

[GEddie]

Hi there.

When is spiritual pride a mortal sin.

Thanks

When we find ourself looking with pride at our works, self-denial, penance, etc and think that we are any more than just sinners!

ICXC NIKA

 

[backtocatholic]

Hi.

Thanks for your replies. I am definitely guilty of this.

I assume that not all cases of spiritual pride are mortal sin. e.g. wanting a priest to think well of you or imagining scenarios where the priest might think you were a good/nice person.

 

[Bookcat]

Hi there.

When is spiritual pride a mortal sin.

Thanks

For a Christian who is seeking to follow Christ and live his faith - Pride is rather often of the venial sort. Though to be fought against…

A good example of mortal sin via pride -would be such as rejecting God or our dependance on God (I do not need God…)…or the rejection of say submitting our will in some serious way to those who are in authority from God…

(and of course for all mortal sin one needs not only grave matter but full knowledge and deliberate consent).

 

[backtocatholic]

That’s a relief.

However, the type of spiritual pride that I thought would be a mortal sin would be looking down on others who are not as "catholic"as you are, and considering yourself to be much better spiritually than you really are.

I am also concerned that pride when it relates to spirituality would be more serious than general pride.

 

[Bookcat]

That’s a relief.

However, the type of spiritual pride that I thought would be a mortal sin would be looking down on others who are not as "catholic"as you are, and considering yourself to be much better spiritually than you really are.

I am also concerned that pride when it relates to spirituality would be more serious than general pride.

Hum…you mean if one thinks “I pray the rosary everyday and read scripture for half an hour…that is better than Jack’s praying only a decade and reading scripture only on occasion”

Or you think that yourself better spiritually than you are…

Even though it is “spiritual” - I would not say it is grave matter.

Your confessor can guide you - bring up the particular question with him.

Now if you looked down at the person with say contempt… that would be another story…

 

[Bookcat]

Hum…you mean if one thinks “I pray the rosary everyday and read scripture for half an hour…that is better than Jack’s praying only a decade and reading scripture only on occasion”

Or you think that yourself better spiritually than you are…

Even though it is “spiritual” - I would not say it is grave matter.

Your confessor can guide you - bring up the particular question with him.

Now if you looked down at the person with say contempt… that would be another story…

Or if I say thought “I am so spiritual I do not need the Church”… now that would seem rather grave…

as I noted - your confessor can discuss particulars with you as to any particulars you are concerned about.

---

Of course even in terms of venial sin - let us keep humbling ourselves and avoid such – and not consent when such thoughts come to one and thus grow in that virtue!

 

[backtocatholic]

Thanks Bookcat.

You have put everything into perspective. I went to confession today and I am trying to address my problems with scruples.

Keep me in your prayers.

Thanks

 

[teeboy]

That’s a relief.

However, the type of spiritual pride that I thought would be a mortal sin would be looking down on others who are not as "catholic"as you are, and considering yourself to be much better spiritually than you really are.

I am also concerned that pride when it relates to spirituality would be more serious than general pride.

Just remember where you came from. You weren’t always as good of a Catholic or Christian as you are today (that is the nature of discipleship). Show the sinner love and counsel if he is willing to accept.

 

[janiruchan]

I was guilty of this sin. and I was tried very greatly.
I guess God did not deeply like any pride in my soul.

 

[Joy2day]

I think it can be like this. People always seem to think that in order to reduce someone’s spiritual pride they have to put them down in some way and spell it out to them that they’re not as good as they think they are etc. But that might not be the best way to do it.

God provides examples Himself. In my life, I have met people (some not catholic, but in communion with the church) who I consider to be very devout and holy - and I feel inferior spiritually in comparison. They are much kinder, considerate and loyal to the teachings of the church in every way eg. they fast religiously (much more than what is required in the catholic faith) and do other things. I find myself objectively acknowledging their holiness and virtue, and at no painful cost to myself. In fact it is delightful to realise there are such people.

 

[janiruchan]

I think it can be like this. People always seem to think that in order to reduce someone’s spiritual pride they have to put them down in some way and spell it out to them that they’re not as good as they think they are etc. But that might not be the best way to do it.

God provides examples Himself. In my life, I have met people (some not catholic, but in communion with the church) who I consider to be very devout and holy - and I feel inferior spiritually in comparison. They are much kinder, considerate and loyal to the teachings of the church in every way eg. they fast religiously (much more than what is required in the catholic faith) and do other things. I find myself objectively acknowledging their holiness and virtue, and at no painful cost to myself. In fact it is delightful to realise there are such people.

I guess yours was inferiority complex. I also experienced that sort of being under more spiritual people, but I realized that I should gain more profit from them by asking for their guidance. I developed spiritual pride at the peak of my ministry and successes ( I did wish for Jesus to humiliate or rather humilify me (humiliate to humble me down) and He did. It was very painful…but it revealed alot of things about me and my weaknesses.

I think now spiritual pride or pride in general is a great sin because it rationalizes and covers all of the person’s sins…such that the person is unwilling to repent or surrender to God his weakness. It made me really blind to my sins. It hid many of them.

 

[thistle]

That’s a relief.

However, the type of spiritual pride that I thought would be a mortal sin would be looking down on others who are not as "catholic"as you are, and considering yourself to be much better spiritually than you really are.

I am also concerned that pride when it relates to spirituality would be more serious than general pride.

From St John of the Cross:

“Some souls suffer from another kind of spiritual anger. They watch over others with a kind of restless fervor, perpetually annoyed by transgressions they perceive.The impulse arises to reprove the other souls in an angry way. Sometimes they even indulge this nasty urge, elevating themselves as masters of virtue. This is all quite contrary to spiritual meekness.”

 

[Joy2day]

I guess yours was inferiority complex. I also experienced that sort of being under more spiritual people, but I realized that I should gain more profit from them by asking for their guidance. I developed spiritual pride at the peak of my ministry and successes ( I did wish for Jesus to humiliate or rather humilify me (humiliate to humble me down) and He did. It was very painful…but it revealed alot of things about me and my weaknesses.

I think now spiritual pride or pride in general is a great sin because it rationalizes and covers all of the person’s sins…such that the person is unwilling to repent or surrender to God his weakness. It made me really blind to my sins. It hid many of them.

I appreciate your comments however acknowledging other people’s apparent holiness does not equate to an ‘inferiority complex’. Of course if you’re always, yet again, put down in some way, it adds up.

I don’t understand how you can be blind to your sins: what about going through the 10 commandments? What ministry do you have?

 

[backtocatholic]

Thank you all for your replies.

I went to confession yesterday and confessed this sin. It is something that I am trying to overcome.

 

[catlady43]

I am grateful to have read this today! I have also been guilty of spiritual pride, which is laughable because, although I was reading Scripture daily and also praying a daily rosary, I was not attending Mass!! While it’s certainly true that several times I missed Mass because of exceptionally foul weather, and other times I missed because of ill health, there were times I missed because I hadn’t been to confession and would therefore not have been eligible to receive communion, so my little mind thought, what’s the point of going to Mass then?

I have now been to confession, and will go to Mass either this evening, or tomorrow morning.
Please pray for my spiritual healing!

 

[Robert_Sock]

For a false sense of spiritual pride, just look to professors from major universities. Yes, they brag that they are spiritual even though few are religious.

 

[janiruchan]

I appreciate your comments however acknowledging other people’s apparent holiness does not equate to an ‘inferiority complex’. Of course if you’re always, yet again, put down in some way, it adds up.

I don’t understand how you can be blind to your sins: what about going through the 10 commandments? What ministry do you have?

well in my case…it is inferiority complex…but I’d like to say that subtly it is really pride behind it (I dont know exactly how to explain it) but it somehow bothers me that some people are really holier and this makes me want to be like them.
Yes I fall so many times. I only realize it after the examination of the day. For instance, I fail so many times to humble my self in certain situations that doesnt really need my attention. Anyhow for me pride is really subtle. It is for me the deadliest and the most subtle of all the sins.